1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the rapid cooking of large quantities of relatively large pieces of meat, such as top round having a pre-cooked weight of approximately ten pounds and hams. More particularly, the invention provides a cooking unit, a method using the cooking method, and a gas-fired burner assembly for rapidly cooking large quantities of food product.
2. Description of the Prior Art
So-called "bull roasts" are well known in which large quantities of meat are grilled over a heating enclosure containing a bed of charcoal. Conventionally, the cooking enclosure is set up for the bull roast and disassembled after use. Because of fire regulations and sanitation requirements, it is difficult to use the units on a permanent basis. Because of the grease falling from the meat being cooked, control of the charcoal fire can be quite difficult.
Portable grilles using charcoal or gas fuel are also known for cooking relatively small quantities of food. Representative patents include U.S. Pat. No. 1,010,169 which describes a gas-fired broiler; U.S. Pat. No. 1,964,372 which describes a barbecue oven designed for cooking a single large piece of meat; U.S. Pat. No. 2,542,335 which describes a gas-fired broiler unit; U.S. Pat. No. 2,790,434 which describes a broiler having independently controlled units for heating a ceramic bed; U.S. Pat. No. 3,257,935 which describes a gas-fired hamburger broiler; U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,635 which describes a gas burner having independently controlled burner portions; U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,051 which describes a portable barbecue oven; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,028 which describes a coal grate construction for gas-fired grilles.